First Year of the Four Nations Face off

It was always Connor McDavid. No wonder the Edmonton Oilers star forward and captain was able to send every Canadian home with a smile on February 20th. The NHL kicked off their first annual Four Nations Face Off on February 12th. The Four Nations marks the first international hockey tournament to allow NHL players to participate since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.

With disputes restricting NHL participation in recent Olympics, fans and players alike have been desperate for a real best-on-best international showdown. The Four Nations tournament, featuring Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland was able to finally deliver this. McDavid, as expected, stole the show.

Canada’s path to the title was not as smooth as you may expect. After a close opening win over Finland and a hard-fought overtime loss to Team USA, questions swirled about their depth and defensive play. But led by McDavid’s determination, alongside Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Canada found their stride when it mattered most. In the gold medal game, McDavid capped off the tournament with a goal assisted by Mitch Marner in overtime to seal a 4–3 win over the Americans.

 Despite the heartbreak for Team USA, the tournament offered a promising glimpse into the future. A team led by Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Matthew Tkachuck, the Americans pushed their northern rivals to the brink. After a Canadian crowd disrespectfully booed the national anthem during their first matchup in Montreal, the Americans responded by dropping the gloves before the game even started! That's right, the first best-on-best matchup between the US and Canada since 2016 started off with a brawl. I guess their anger had been pent up for a while. 

Meanwhile, Sweden and Finland brought their trademark structure and discipline to the ice, however both nations struggled to match the offensive firepower of North America’s juggernauts. Still, great performances from Sweden’s Lucas Raymond and Finland’s Anton Lundell showed that the pipeline of Scandinavian talent remains as strong as ever.

Beyond the on-ice action, the Four Nations Face Off signaled something much bigger for the sport. Fans packed arenas across North America, and TV ratings shattered expectations. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman called it “a massive step forward” in growing the international game, and early reports suggest the league is already planning to expand the format in future years, potentially adding countries like the Czech Republic and Russia (pending ongoing geopolitical considerations).

For now, Canada may hold the top spot in the hockey world, but it feels like the U.S. is right on their heels, with plenty of momentum and a bright future ahead.

As the final buzzer sounded and McDavid lifted the trophy, one thing was clear: international hockey is more competitive and exciting than ever and Team USA is set to make their mark.